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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

5 Meals to Keep in Your Pantry & Freezer

Do you ever have those weeks when life just happens? Boy, we do! Even the best of menu plans can't possibly account for times when life throws a curve ball.

To counteract the craziness, I like to keep my pantry and freezer stocked with several meals that can be made in a pinch. I try to keep some frozen browned ground beef and cooked, cubed chicken in my freezer to help with quick meals. I also try to keep a good supply of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses in my freezer. Here are some of my favorite quick meal ideas.

Five Can Soup1 can Progresso Minestrone soup1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes1 15 oz. can mixed vegetables1 15 oz. can black beans1 15 oz. can white cornMix it all together without draining anything and heat. You can even throw this in the Crock Pot for a few hours or all day. Sometimes we add some browned ground beef or cooked chicken to it.

Mix ingredients in order listed in bread machine. I use my bread cycle, and my machine beeps when dough is ready. You may have to consult your machine's book to know when yours is done. In a pinch, you can just knead the dough by hand for five minutes. Place dough on pizza pan sprayed with canola oil, and spread the dough to cover the pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes. Add sauce, toppings, and cheese. Bake another 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees.

If I have pitas or English muffins on hand, I'll use those in place of homemade crust.

Mix refried beans, salsa, and chicken. Divide the mix among the tortillas. Roll each tortilla, and place seam side down in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan sprayed with canola oil spray. Bake uncovered at 350 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake another 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Grilled Cheese & SoupYou can't bypass the old stand-by! I like to keep several types of canned soups in my pantry so that we can use them in a pinch.

What are your favorite meals to keep on hand? Do you have any advice for making meals in a pinch?

I always have an easy stir fry on hand too. Just a little soy sauce, olive oil, some frozen mixed veggies, leftover chicken and serve it over rice (even easier if you bulk cook rice and can just pull out a frozen baggie of it!)

We love "sub" sandwiches - I have a teenage boy. I keep the hoagie rolls in the freezer. We make them with spaghetti sauce, pepperoni or meatballs, and mozzerella cheese - heated in the microwave or we make them with cold cuts and broil them for a few minutes. For some reason "hot" sandwiches feel more like a meal.